Carnitas are a well-known Mexican dish, made with slow-cooked pork. The flavorful dish is a favorite for many people, but some are hesitant to try it, as they’re concerned about its spiciness. After all, that’s one of the reasons Mexican food is famous! But are carnitas really spicy? Keep reading to find out.
Are Carnitas Spicy?
In general, carnitas are not a spicy dish unless you add some type of sauce.
However, there’s no standard carnitas recipe, so the spiciness level can vary depending on the way it’s cooked. Typically, the dish doesn’t have a lot of heat to it, but some recipes include the use of chili peppers, which can make it spicy. But even in that case the heat tends to be mild and works well in combination with the other flavors.
At times, when ordering carnitas at a restaurant, it may come with chili peppers or hot sauce on the side, which will increase the spiciness level. In such a case, you can opt for mild versions or just steer clear of the condiments. Most Mexican dishes come with different hotness levels, thus it’s essential to ask before ordering.
If you’re making carnitas at home, you can customize it to your specific taste by adjusting the ingredients slightly. Some ingredients that can add spiciness to the carnitas recipe include ground cumin, jalapenos, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
Wrapping It Up
The level of spiciness in carnitas varies depending on the recipe and how it’s cooked while ordering in a restaurant, always ask for its level of hotness. With a little experimentation and tweaking of the ingredients, however, you can make it as spicy or mild as your palate prefers. Next time you’re curious about trying out the popular Mexican dish, know that carnitas are not necessarily spicy but customize it to fit your taste.
To learn more about carnitas, read our previous posts, “4 Interesting Facts About Carnitas” and “How Are You Supposed To Eat Carnitas?”
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If what you want is Authentic Mexican food in California (including burritos!), El Pollo Norteño is the place to go.
Visit today any of our five locations (Anaheim, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, and Lake Forest), order online, get in touch through Facebook, or call 866-MI-POLLO to enjoy our authentic Mexican dishes: amazing chicken grilled to perfection over real Mesquite charcoal, caldo de pollo, flan, carnitas, carne asada, and more!